Bacterial levels in ocean and bay recreational waters exceed health standards at the following locations:

Seal Beach

From the Seal Beach Pier to 300 feet downcoast of the Seal Beach Pier.

Huntington State Beach

500 feet upcoast and 500 feet downcoast of the projection of Brookhurst Street.

Dana Point

All of Baby Beach in Dana Point Harbor.

Long Term Postings due to Possible Urban Runoff Impacts:

Newport Bay

Harbor Tower Marina at Pacific Coast Highway and Newport Boulevard.

Beach goers should avoid contact with ocean and bay waters in these areas.

The Environmental Health staff advises swimmers that levels of bacteria can rise significantly in ocean and bay waters adjacent to storm drains, creeks and rivers. Swimmers should avoid coastal waters impacted by discharging storm drains, creeks and rivers and beach users should avoid contact with any runoff on the beach during dry or wet weather conditions.

If you would like to report a bather illness, please call 714.433.6280 during business hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

To report a sewage spill, please call 714.433.6419 during business hours or 714.628.7008 after business hours.

For questions, please call 714.433.6280 during business hours or log on to www.ocbeachinfo.com.

comments (7)

I am wanting to comment on the Surfrider Foundation and their attempts at opening the gate at Strands full time. First off, the Surfrider Foundation should be more worried about Baby Beach, Doheny and Poche. Over 800,000 visitors a year at Doheny alone. Certain individuals associated with Surfrider have used this gate as a platform for their political aspirations. I have been in Dana Point since the early 60’s and have surfed the Strand area since the early 70’s. The worst offenders of breaking glass and leaving trash on the beach are the people that visit in the evening hours. It is and always will be that way. No if and or but. There are two paths to the beach that are always open, but that doesn’t mean they should be. The middle gates should be shut 24/7. So, if someone is too lazy to walk a bit from either of the two, then they shouldn’t go to the beach. Why doesn’t Surfrider get public access through Cypress Shores, Monarch Bay, Three Arch Bay and Emerald Bay. And… What about the cigarette butts in the gutter in the parking lot at the middle gate at Strands? It’s horrifying and the Surfrider looks only on the gate. They are partly to blame for the cig butts. Surfrider’s main responsibility is keeping the ocean clean and they have the WORST 3 beaches in S. Orange County. The people that own those homes at Strands pay large amounts of property tax and should have the right to have a secure neighborhood without cig butts and broken glass. Surfrider Dana Point Chapter is all smoke n mirrors. Can you say “Grand Standing”.

First off Mike, you are a complete jerk. Your opinion means nothing. I have been surfing strands for 20 years. I have laughed in your face for twenty years also when you are rude to everyone at the beach. You are mean to children, adults, and yourself. No one is scared of you so go ahead and keep up your stinky attitude because it isn’t working. Remember if you do try to pick a fight and do more than bark you’ll be arrested. I hope you teach your son to be a human unlike yourself who is a big baby brat. That’s why they call you Happy because you wish you were. Respect goes both ways. Respect the beach and the people around you and watch how your life will turn around. Look at Pat O’connel-he is a class act and doesn’t go around acting like he owns the beach. People of Dana look down on you.

Yes Mike Cruikshank is a laughable joke in town everyone knows it. Wish he would just slip on a banana peel and drive off the odoyle rules cliff. I almost hit him over the head with a baseball bat years ago for being mean to my 10 year old son.

First and foremost, I want to emphasize that Surfrider Foundation is a volunteer organization. All of the local chapters, including the South Orange County chapter, are staffed by community members working for free. That means we pick up trash off the beach, and those cigarette butts from beach parking lots you speak of, with no compensation. We do it because we care. We invite everyone who cares about our beaches to join us anytime, hope to see you at our next Strands clean up.

One of our on-going campaigns is to advocate for clean water and work to support solutions, such as drying up urban runoff, which is one of the leading causes of poor ocean quality in south OC. We’ve also launched a new campaign called “Ocean Friendly Gardens” which dovetails with our clean ocean programs.

In the case of the Dana Point Headlands, Surfrider partnered with a collection of community groups over an extended period of time to prevent the irresponsible, massive project at Strands. You probably remember the “Save The Headlands” stickers, right? In the end our side lost, Strands Beach lost. But as mitigation for the development, the California Coastal Commission required the developer to provide more public access to the beach (which is another key role of Surfrider’s charter mission—to fight for public beach access for EVERYONE, not just wealthy beach front property owners). The gate issue was created by the Strands developer when he worked behind closed doors with the City of Dana Point to create a legal ruse to limit the center access without a coastal development permit, hence the locking gates and illegal beach-use times. Surfrider challenged the city’s illegal closures and the “Strands Gate” fight was born.

Surfrider Foundation is making a very loud example out of the case to put it on record that developers cannot arbitrarily deny public access to our beaches. Especially when that access was/is guaranteed by the deal they agreed to in the first place. This case is important because it could be a precedent setting ruling that might be used up and down California’s coast to prevent the public from enjoying what is guaranteed to us. We are the example. And, yes, it is political, it would be naive to think otherwise. Granted, Strands homeowners pay property taxes, but so does every other home owner in Dana Point and Capo Beach. Because they have ocean front homes do they deserve access that the rest of Dana Point residents and visitors do not?

Emerald Bay, Three Arch, etc. (Cypress Shores is actually a part of the very public beach associated with Cotton’s and San Clemente State Park) and their private beaches were grandfathered into the Coastal Act of 1972 and Surfrider has no interest in retroactively opening public access to those beaches.

I could go on and on about all the things Surfrider does, but it’s much easier to visit http://www.surfrider.org to find out more. The bottom line is that Surfrider members and other volunteers donate thousands of hours of their time so that others can enjoy a cleaner ocean environment. My question to anyone complaining is: What are you doing to help your local beaches?
Rick Erkeneff
Chairman – Surfrider Foundation South Orange County Chapter

Thank you Mr. Erkeneff. I lived at niguel beach terrace for a number of years and just want to say that you are a class act and always involved in trying to keep our ocean and beaches safer. Ive never seen you in the water acting like a jerk. Always enjoy seeing you surf and ripping it up. I will have to confirm the above comments that Mike Cruikshank is a rude jerk. He pollutes the water with his negativity. His behavior is unacceptable. Thanks for being on the front lines with the Save Strands Effort and Trestles. At least Trestles was a success so far. I’m sure the battle isn’t over.